New respect for single digit indexes

JayB

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So far this spring, I've been playing my best golf by a large margin. Frequent playing and practice through the winter have made a big difference; tee shots are finding the fairway with decent length, hitting irons consistently with quality strikes and getting a good number of GIR, and the short game and putting are all getting respectable. most every round I've played this year is mid to low 80s, hanging in the 13ish differential which is where I expect my index to be in about a month

i see pretty clearly where eliminating low quality shots has gotten me, and now realize how much work it will take to drop 3+ strokes per round on average. Way more than eliminating error, it will take serious effort improve and ratchet up the precision in my approach and short game.

All I can say is I'm in awe of those who have single digit indexes.
 
I will let you know when I figure out how to get rid of my bad shots
 
Short game is definitely an important part to lowering the index once we take the big steps of eliminating the penalties and the shots that leave us behind trees. Keep up the good work and the number will get even lower!
 
A wise man once said golf is about minimizing your misses. Scoring really is about how good your misses are because it is a very rare round where even a pro hits more than 3 or 4 shots exactly as intended. It also helps immensely to play at least a few days a week as a teenager and/or be born with exceptional hand-eye coordination.
 
That is the beauty and tragedy that is golf. The better you get the harder the game gets. Good luck on your progress.
 
A wise man once said golf is about minimizing your misses. Scoring really is about how good your misses are because it is a very rare round where even a pro hits more than 3 or 4 shots exactly as intended. It also helps immensely to play at least a few days a week as a teenager and/or be born with exceptional hand-eye coordination.

I'm doing my part to set my son up for success! We play together on the weekends and he has a lesson on Fridays.
 
I'm doing my part to set my son up for success! We play together on the weekends and he has a lesson on Fridays.

I'm doing the same with my 11 year old although having a 19 and 17 year old, I'm not confident that she will stay with it. I'll do my best with her since it's my last chance to have another avid golfer in the family. The funny thing is my son is an exceptional athlete but is super casual about golf and only plays 2 or 3 rounds per year when we are on vacation. His normal driver swing is 113 mph and with his coordination he could get to a 5 index within a year or two if he would just play/practice 50 days each summer. I tell him to start playing now because in a few more years when he has a real job and responsibility he will regret not playing more but of course he thinks he's social life is way more interesting than the golf and I can't really disagree. They all make their own way.......
 
A wise man once said golf is about minimizing your misses. Scoring really is about how good your misses are because it is a very rare round where even a pro hits more than 3 or 4 shots exactly as intended. It also helps immensely to play at least a few days a week as a teenager and/or be born with exceptional hand-eye coordination.
Although, admittedly, I never read Dr. Bob Rotella's book "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect," I've still adapted his sentiment.

Mine is, simply, "Golf is a Game of Misses." Not being cynical in the least, just embracing the inevitable reality of looming golf imperfection.

Narrowing and then managing my misses is simply imperative to scoring. Golf is hard, I aim to not make it ever more difficult as a result of poor decision making and lack of commitment to execution.

Play without fear of error yet embrace unfortunate result.
 
So far this spring, I've been playing my best golf by a large margin. Frequent playing and practice through the winter have made a big difference; tee shots are finding the fairway with decent length, hitting irons consistently with quality strikes and getting a good number of GIR, and the short game and putting are all getting respectable. most every round I've played this year is mid to low 80s, hanging in the 13ish differential which is where I expect my index to be in about a month

i see pretty clearly where eliminating low quality shots has gotten me, and now realize how much work it will take to drop 3+ strokes per round on average. Way more than eliminating error, it will take serious effort improve and ratchet up the precision in my approach and short game.

All I can say is I'm in awe of those who have single digit indexes.
I say if your normal differential is 13 ish you're just about a single digit index (course rating dependent)
 
I'm a single digit, but let me let you in on a little secret. We still hit bad shots! It's how you hit the next one. Somehow getting a par. Or getting a bogey instead of a double or a triple, is the key. You do that, and next thing you know, you have that single digit handicap!

For example. A couple of weeks ago, I shot a 76. You want to know how many fairways I hit? 4. But somehow I kept on grinding out pars. Just keep working on those recovery shots. I can't wait to watch and see you get there!
 
I'm a single digit, but let me let you in on a little secret. We still hit bad shots! It's how you hit the next one. Somehow getting a par. Or getting a bogey instead of a double or a triple, is the key. You do that, and next thing you know, you have that single digit handicap!

For example. A couple of weeks ago, I shot a 76. You want to know how many fairways I hit? 4. But somehow I kept on grinding out pars. Just keep working on those recovery shots. I can't wait to watch and see you get there!
There is a lot of truth behind this statement. Difference between a average/good round to a great round.
 
100% short game. There are so many strokes during a round played within 30 yards of the pin, it's vital to be the kind of player that uses that to their advantage and not the player who accepts bogey after a missed GIR.

Being a low index is a gift and a curse. Being a casual low index is nearly impossible, but would likely be the greatest achievement of my career.
 
100% short game. There are so many strokes during a round played within 30 yards of the pin, it's vital to be the kind of player that uses that to their advantage and not the player who accepts bogey after a missed GIR.

Being a low index is a gift and a curse. Being a casual low index is nearly impossible, but would likely be the greatest achievement of my career.

This is 100% spot on. Short game has been the answer for me in a huge way. And it doesn't happen over night. I started grinding on short game last year in preparations for regional rivalry. And I feel like I'm finally getting to the point where I'm getting fairly proficient from 125 and in. With a lot of emphasis on those green-side shots.
 
I know what you mean man, I'm sitting at 10.4 right now and it's gonna be tough to get over that hurdle. I need more time on the short game area, range, and at the course. If I can sharpen up the short game and get off the tee more consistently I'll have a lot better chance, easy right?
 
I agree. I have a big respect for low hcp'ers after playing with them most of the time. The stuff they can do and pull off its straight up ballin. Also it helps me on my game because they pass on tips and strategies for my game which greatly helps me. Something about watching a ball get piss pounded off the tee box right down the middle of the fairway is mesmerizing
 
Getting to single digits is about minimizing your mistakes. I still shoot bogeys on holes but I very rarely have a double bogey. Manage you misses and you will get their sooner then expected.
 
Getting to single digits is about minimizing your mistakes. I still shoot bogeys on holes but I very rarely have a double bogey. Manage you misses and you will get their sooner then expected.

Couldn't agree more. Eliminating double bogeys has probably been the single biggest factor in dropping my index over the last couple years. Not that I never have one, but it used to be that I'd have 2-3 a round, which just kills your score even if you're otherwise playing well. Now, I might not have 2-3 in a month.
 
Like everyone said, it's short game proficiency & avoiding the penalties of the tee & long approaches.

Another big part of it is a mentality change. You've got to have the mind set that you're playing for birdie instead of par in most cases IMO. If you're playing for par, it's easier to settle for bogey or even double.
 
Like everyone said, it's short game proficiency & avoiding the penalties of the tee & long approaches.

Another big part of it is a mentality change. You've got to have the mind set that you're playing for birdie instead of par in most cases IMO. If you're playing for par, it's easier to settle for bogey or even double.

I will disagree slightly. I think far too many people, including myself, are trying to hit the hero shot every single time. If you play to the center of the green and putt decently you will make par far more often and give yourself more birdie chances instead of trying to attack the pin every single time. Just my .02.
 
for me, learning how to use each club in the bag in more than one way allowed me to be more at ease on course because I knew I had a club in the bag for almost every situation I could get myself into. After that it took getting comfortable within my game to begin playing better when I would normally fall apart. There were plenty of blow up hole that got in the way but like Nate and Canadan said, how you bounce back after those holes is what makes the biggest difference.
 
was able to get from an 11 to an 8 last year for the first time ever in the single digits merely by working on my inside 100 game.....and avoiding more than one double a round. Now i am trying to get greedy and keep my round free of doubles but sadly that is still a reality for me.
 
What impresses me most about low indexers is the ability to grind out par after a poor tee or approach shot. The short game needs to be so precise to yield a realistic par save putt. you have to consistently stick it tight to have realistic par save opportunities. There Is a world of difference in the short game touch that leaves 20' to the pin vs a short game that puts you inside of 5'
 
I will disagree slightly. I think far too many people, including myself, are trying to hit the hero shot every single time. If you play to the center of the green and putt decently you will make par far more often and give yourself more birdie chances instead of trying to attack the pin every single time. Just my .02.
I'd agree with this. Fairways and greens, but manage misses. Learning where to miss and when to attack pins has been most helpful for me.


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managing misses, eliminating blow ups, eliminating mistakes, etc etc.
I mean I think we all know these things are needed in order to score better. But knowing these things doesn't make you then do them. Some make it sound as though they thought of these things and is what lead them to better scores. I mean don't we all want to do those things? You don't somehow just tap yourself on the forehead with a "Oh, now I see, this is what I need to do" thing and then all of a sudden you start to score better. You score better because you got better at those things and have the ability to do so. Your not scoring better because you discovered you shouldn't be doing them.

I mean..... eliminate blow ups, minimize mistakes, managing misses? not trying to sound mean I promise but of course you will score lower. For those who do care about score that's sort of the whole point of golf isn't it? To be as good as you can? make fewest mistakes and misses as possible? Problem is that its not that simple. You don't just become better due to knowing these things. You've always known these things, havnt you? The only thing one can change by thinking about it is the decisions he/she makes for shot choices. Other than that you just don't become better at making your shots because you know you should minimize misses, blowups and mistakes.
 
**Desire **Determination **Dedication..... The 3D's I preach when I teach!
 
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